Ambitious Wanderers aim high

Some impressive off-season recruiting has Western Sydney Wanderers looking to match the achievements of their male counterparts in the coming campaign.

Some impressive off-season recruiting has Western Sydney Wanderers looking to match the achievements of their male counterparts in the coming Westfield W-League campaign.

Tony Popovic-s charges reached unimaginable heights in their debut Hyundai A-League season, and while Steve Roche-s side finished with a more modest outcome, a solid platform for future growth was built.

In the hunt for finals football until last season-s penultimate round, Wanderers this term will have much greater ambitions having significantly bolstered their squad.

Tori Huster has also been lured from the Hunter to bolster the Wanderers midfield and will be joined by fellow American midfielder Shawna Gordon, who featured in this year-s inaugural US National Women-s Soccer League for Boston Breakers.

The presence of Caitlin Cooper will help shore up the defence while also arriving from Canberra United is impressive young goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold, although she is set to miss the opening weeks of the season.

Injury, however, has also cruelled the hopes of arguably the biggest recruit of the season with former Westfield W-League Golden Boot winner Kyah Simon to miss the season with a torn knee ligament suffered on recent national team duty.

The experienced heads of Catherine Cannuli, Servet Uzunlar and Teigan Allen return from last campaign, along with Sam Spackman, Linda O-Neill, Jessica Seaman, Rachael Soutar, Georgia Rowntree and Jenna Kingsley - the latter making a return from long-term injury.